Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-10-18
EDITORIAL ucaRlssoNpsNeS,

EDITORIAL uoaRlasoNpENeS,
----sG-A
DENvHR, Col, Oct. 13.--This city
Is $50 miles west of Kansas City and
after twenty-one hours of travel over
the Union Pacific / arrived here at
7:l5 this morning. The crowd in
Kansas City became so great by the
11th that decided not to wait for
the Presidential blowout and 80 left
for this city the morning of tho 18th.
l supposed that the crowds would
be going eastward and that would
escape the annoyances of crowded
car, but in this was wofully disap-
pointed. The train by which l left
consisted of fifteen coaches and they
were all so crowded that l was
obliged TO stand up for the first 70 or
80 miles. These even did not suffice
and a second section had to. be sent
on behind for about 500 miles. had
the good fortune to travel through
most of Kansas in the day time and
therefore saw the best lands in the
State. The broad prairies extending
as far as the eye can reach have been
cut up into farms, many of which
have been we'll improved. One thing
noticeable about these farms is that
there are no fences either inclosing
or dividing plantations. The land is
black and fertile and is about as val
liable as the best land in Christian
county, where it 10 near the railroads.
was told, however, that off the roads
the same character of lands can be
had at prices ranging from $3.50 to
$40 per acre. Kansas is destined to
be one of the greatest of the agricul-
tural states, though she suffered from
the drouth this year in common with
all the rest of the country. One
great objection to this country is the
scarcity of water and timber. The
water supply is obtained in most
places from deep wells with wind
mills attached, excepting in the rich
valley lands of the Kansas river. l
passed through several important
towns, including Topeka, the capital
of the state, where got the best cup
of coffee 1 have found since / left
Kentucky. By-the-way, coffee is
about the strongest drink TO DO OBJ
tanned anywhere in Kansas, as the
State is strictly dry from aprohibition
standpoint. As night came on the
country began to grow moro uneven
and ranges of barren hills were 10 be
seen in the distance. By dark the
country was decidedly rough and
during the whole of the night the
train sped on through a country that
is about az poor as the poorest hills
in the eastern states and without the
advantages even afforded by water
and timber. When daylight came l
was in the sterile prairie lands of
Colorado. A sickly crop of dead
grass covered the sandy plains, but
it was only at rare intervals that
human habitation was seen, except
ing at the little station towns every
ten or fifteen miles. This country is
utterly worthless and no effort 10
made to cultivate the soil, the only
settlers being the cattle-herders. /
saw many large herds Of cattle and
ponies cropping the dried up grass
and seeming to be in good condition,
but it is mystery how they manage
to live on the scant supply OF grass
and with but little, if any water l
saw one large herd of cattle being
rounded up by tho cowboys, which
was quite novel sight. The wild
antelopes, prairie dogs, prairie chick
ems and ant-moundI, all Of which
could be seen from the car windows,
were source of ever-fagging in
tsreSt. Far away in the distance on
the right could be seen the Rocky
Mountains with their bald tops white
with snow, while away TO the south
rose Pixies Peak, magnificent to be-
hold, though moro than a hundred
miles away. Pretty soon the country
began to exhibit more signs Of life
and another half hours run brought
us to